Moulin Rouge! The Musical Reviews

Lynne Hutcheon from Newbury England

A MUSICAL FEAST FOR THE SOUL

It will seduce and electrify every one of your senses. Song after song delighted the audience. You will come away wanting to see it again.. Honestly one of the best musicals I have ever seen... Long may it run.. Congratulations to everyone involved.... You smashed it!!!!!

Dawn from London, England

SPECTACULAR SPECTACULAR!

Wow! I had high hopes this lived up to the film and it did not disappoint. I went on opening night, and it was amazing! The set is incredible! The little pre show is entertaining too. The costumes, singing & dancing are brilliant. Highly recommend going.

Dave Calvert from London, England

MOULIN ROUGE IS A TRIUMPH

We saw it on only its 2nd night in London. High energy cast, amazing choreography, funny as hell, keeps all the best music from the movie and builds on them with new mixes, costumes are sexy as f*** and set design is best in London. This is now THE show to beat. Polished performances and great atmosphere, def go for the Blue Elephant package if you can. The orchestra absolutely smashed it out the park and there was an instant well deserved standing ovation. I hope this runs for decades. Makes me wish I could sing & dance. Bunch of legends you people.

Carolyn Harberd from London, England

YES YOU CAN CAN CAN AND SHOULD GO !

A high energy, entertaining show which I would certainly go back to see again. Great cast of dancers & singers , with a fabulous score sheet of songs.

Eva Harrington Griffin from London, England

SENSORY CELEBRATION

Really amazing production; came out of the theatre wanting to rebook again! Yes, it’s cheesy and predictable sometimes, but the energy and talent of the performers are amazing and felt spellbound by the choreography and costumes that turned the performance into a feast for all the senses. Beautiful voices from the leading cast . Truly a magical, uplifting evening

Liza from London, England

LOVED IT!!

Amazing!! Cast were brilliant. Singing was fabulous. The whole show was brill from start to finish! Totally loved it!! Would definitely watch it again.

Rhi from London, England

AMAZING YOU NEED TO GO

The staff were fantastic and going in was a breeze the show was phenomenal from start to finish. I've seen a few shows in London, here it was small enough that you could see the stage from everywhere. Amazing views. The show, I can't commend them all enough it was funny, heartwarming, the dancers were amazing, the music incredible. Everything about it was superb. Highly recommend!

Lorraine Quaid. from Hungarton, Leicestershire.

BEAT SHOW EVER!

I could not believe how good this production was. As a big fan of the film I had been looking forward to it and I wasn’t disappointed. In fact I would go so far as to say it’s the best show I have seen, (and I have seen many!). Everything about it was wonderful. The set, the characters, the dancing and the music. I went with my family and we all left thinking that we would like to go home and re-book immediately. Fantastic! A triumph. We loved it!

Laura from Manchester

FAB-U-LOUS!

What a brilliant show! So cleverly put together, with a mix of original songs and newer ones. The set is fantastic - no expense spared - and every member of the cast oozes talent! It’s high energy, colourful and, by the end of the show, the whole theatre was buzzing. We could have stayed and watched it on repeat - the best show we have seen (and we’ve seen a lot). Really hope we get to see it again! A must-see if you can can can!!!

John Green from Cornwall, UK.

WASN’T SURE WHAT TO EXPECT

Never seen the film so no prejudging. I thought it was outstanding. Loved it from the very beginning with its high energy opening, superbly choreographed. Was kept engaged and entertained throughout. The ensemble were simply fantastic. Gifted and talented. Would happily go back today to watch it again.

Viv from Leeds England

FABULOUS

From even before the official start of the show I was hooked . Choreography, set details , costumes… … fabulous

John from London, England

MOULIN ROUGE

I an a great fan of the film, but now an even bigger fan of the show. I did not know that some of the songs had been changed, and replaced, and was therefore not too sure what to expect I was not dissapointed. They added humour to the story, and were very cleverly slotted in.I personly thought the ending finaly was a great ending to a great show. Why can't you love the film for what it is, and the same for the show. I could what both over and over again.Dont miss it.

Michele from London, England

AMAZING

Now if you love high energy dancing and singing this is the show to see. Amazing in all departments . Quality of singing , choreography, the set, the costumes, and not least the matching characters of the performers. Perfect.

Wendy from Wolverhampton

SPECTACULAR

With moulin rouge film being a family favourite the musical theatre was a must . Was not disappointed from the amazing scenery where you felt you were in the moulin rouge not a theatre in London on a snowy Saturday afternoon . The mix of old and new songs worked well . The acting was great only critisism maybe the Duke was too likeable unlike the film . Singing , dancing and acting was fabulous . Would definately recommend going to see and would definately return .

Bob from Kettering

BREATHTAKING

From start to finish an absolute stunning performance by all. The colour, the scenery, the clever stringing together of so many popular songs. The show left us begging for more - so we booked to see the show again very soon, and we can't wait!

Jonathan from London, England

AWESOME

Fantastic show. Brilliant music. A triumph. You can can can. We saw it on 5th January 2022 and the leads felt authentic and were great singers. We loved all the songs and thought they worked well with the plot. This musical is the best in London. Highly recommend it to all. I want to go back again.

Julie ward from London, England

IMMENSELY PHENOMENAL

I can hand on my heart say this is now one of my favourite musicals. The energy of the cast and the talent is immense. Every single person killed it. It is such a phenomenally fun, sexy and exhilarating show. I don’t know how anyone could dislike this! Please see if it if you can!

Chris Worth from Slough, England

A COMPLETE EYE-OPENER - WE WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN!

A truly superb, outlandish musical would be hard to beat in the current London scene. From the first seconds, this grabs you 'full-on' and loved the spectacle, colour, sound, changes of songs (some new, some still from the original film!), sheer romance and story. It really is 'one of a kind' and we shall certainly be back to enjoy it once again. A memorable 5* performance!!

Bruce kent from Nottingham England

WOW

Well done , everyone, what a spectacular show and yes like any stage play it is different to the film , you want to see the film go watch it on net flix, The leads don't forget the male lead is his first production as lead , all the actors gave there all to entertain , thank you for making a spectacular entertaining show with really enjoyed from start to finish , and only slight minus , would have liked someday I'll fly away in there but who knows why it wasn't included ( could be for any number of reasons ) Thank you all

Anonymous from London, England

BEST MUSICAL I HAVE EVER SEEN

This was outstanding from start to finish. The whole experience was amazing from the set design and music to the orchestra and general atmosphere. Loved every minute of it.

Catherine Jenkinson from London, England

AMAZING . MUST SEE MUSICAL

I have seen most musicals but this one surprised me the most . Simply amazing -dancing , songs . The talent of those on staging . If your thinking about it just do it . Loved it ❤️❤️

Jacqueline nash from London, England

AMAZING

Myself and 2 friends saw this in London. It was the most amazing musical we have ever seen. All singing all dancing and also very funny and sad. Costumes were outstanding. Every single actor was out of this world. I am booking to come again as it was that good. Highly recommend you see this. Cannot put into words how fantastic this was.

Fiona C from London, England

SO GOOD I’VE SEEN IT TWICE

I really don’t understand why this has been panned by the critics. Moulin Rouge is one of the best musicals I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen a lot of them!). The energy of the cast is incredible, the new songs fit in beautifully and the set and costumes are out of this world.

Lady Colleen from London, England

YOU CAN TELL EVERYBODY THIS ONES FOR YOU!

For those like me who spent most of there teenage years rewatching Baz Luhrmanns spectacular spectacular moulin rouge cinematic version on repeat this does not disappoint, though not the same version it stands alone in its brilliant adaptation. Fishnets, french kissing and fireworks is what this show is all about. Its everything your teenage dream could live up to. From the opening number to the final act the musical numbers will have you singing along and bouncing of your chair for more. Clive Carter channels the orginal Harry zidler, Jamie Bogyo and Liisi LaFontaine as the ill fated star cross lovers ooozzz sex appeal, Eli Lotauro stands strong as the Argentinean, there is nothing more pleasing than seeing the argentina tango to Roxanne come alive on stage and pack the punch thats needed. From the set to the cast its a feast for the eyes and ears

Marian O'Neill from Essex

MOULIN ROUGE

Went to see this today with my daughter absolutely fantastic would definitely watch it again we loved it so much we wanted to cry ❤❤

Gemma from London, England

KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK

We were in the can can seats at the front and though an unconventional view, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend! We were literally in the middle of some of the amazing dance numbers and the emotiin of the story came across really well up close. I spent a lot of time with my mouth open in amazed delight.Fabulous show!

Ruth from London, England

BEST SHOW EVER

Wow,wow,wow!… the best live show I have seen and the most professional, skilled, energetic and funny casts ever. I could not belt my sis and I had paid what we did for circle tickets but it was worth every penny. Wonderful singing and fab use of more recent hits. Do not miss!

Michael Caswell from Sheffield, England

RAUCOUS SISTER OF THE MOULIN MOVIE.

If you're looking for an exact replica of the movie then don't go, stay at home and watch the movie. If you want to see an adaptation very close and better than the film then you'll be in your element. The staging is true to the Moulin Rouge itself and the excitement in the theatre pre perforanmce is electric. Throughout the mash up of songs is brilliant and all actors play their part, yes I get that the love element is somewhat lacking but this is difficult to portray without the close ups of Ewan McGregor acting his desires. The new songs do well especially the Queen of the Bohemians Lady Gaga, the only issue I had was with Fireworks (did not fit) and The Only Girl (In the World) as the Duke should be more sinister and not needy and maybe 'Every Breath You Take' would have been more befitting the character. Overall, a top cast, top story, truth, beauty, freedom and love make this a Bohemian and fun night for all.

Carol Funnell from London, England

SPECTACULAR AND FABULOUS

I was really looking forward to the spectacle of Moulin Rouge, but it shot my expectations out of the theatre, The show was electric, it was bigger and brassier than my wildest dreams could have imagined. The singing was glorious, the dancers and performers, polished, skilled and highly talented. I loved the new songs introduced to tell the story, they have been brilliantly thought out and arranged perfectly. The whole show was more than fabulous and I’d see it again in a heartbeat. If you want a night to remember, go and see Moulin Rouge. It truly is spectacular

Claire Smith from London, England

BEST THING I HAVE SEEN!!

Saw Moulin Rouge yesterday and it exceeded my expectations by far. The theatre felt so intimate and the actors were already on stage when you arrived which made you feel like you were part of the show. The dancing was fantastic, the singing was amazing and the set and production blew my mind. The whole styling of the show was just so cool and modern and as soon as it finished I wanted to watch it again! What a treat!

Hugh mcgauran from Edinburgh

AMAZING NIGHT OUT

Sets are superb music better than film and cast were superb even more so as we saw a second same day performance after an afternoon matinee just a real great show came out knowing you can can can

Katie M from Newtownards, CoDown NI

BEST SHOW EVER!!?!

Received tickets for this show as a very generous gift and wow was I entertained from start to finish...The set was spectacular. The mood was suggestive. Costumes were gorgeous. Music and singing were fab, recognisable and fitted within the story. Cast were incredible . Nobody wanted to leave by the end as we had a good encore sing song going. Congratulations to all concerned . Please go see this fabulous production . I will again, of that there is no doubt

Billyboy from London, England

BEST SHOW I’VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME

Fantastic show. Absolutely loved it

Sarah Veasey from London, England

OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!

An absolute corker of a show, a feast for the eye’s and ears! The cast were amazing & the leads were incredible. I loved the movie but this show is out of this world. We booked the Blue elephant package which was worth every penny & wonderful friendly service. Would definitely highly recommend & I had ‘THE BEST TIME’, go watch it!!!

Julie from London, England

SUPERB, SPECTACULAR, AMAZING

The show was incredible from start to finish and I did not want it to end. An absolute feast for the eyes with wonderful sets and beautiful costumes. The singing was superb, especially from the lead characters. I would go to see this show again and again. I can’t recommend this show enough.

K&G from London, England

A TRIUMPH!

I did not think a stage show could top the film, but I was sooo wrong! This musical triumph leaves you wanting to return for another showing as soon as possible. The staging, actors, music (updated from the original film), and atmosphere is faultless. Do not miss the chance to see this, you will not be disappointed.

Victor Tewkesbury from London, England

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC

Seated in the Can-Can seats we felt involved in the show from the first minute with the actors interaction with us making us feel like we were experiencing the real Moulin Rouge. All the main characters and all the dancers were absolutely amazing, choreography was brilliant and the changes in the story and music are really well thought out and really worked. The set is jaw droppingly beautiful and it made the whole show all the more absorbing. There was nothing not to like about the whole show and experience, I will definitely be making another trip to see the show again.

Janet from Oxford

AMAZING SHOW !

I went to see Moulin Rouge for the second time last night. I saw it in January and if it is possible - I loved it more! The cast is phenomenal, singing, acting and dancing is superb. I just can’t fault the performances . You believe in each character which are perfectly casted. The range of music is outstanding and so cleverly put together to make this show unique. The sets are also amazing. I cannot praise this show enough. The leads are brilliant, but all of the cast play their parts to make this the most entertaining , energetic and want to see again and again show ! And I will be booking again ! Well done everyone involved in this show . Truly worth seeing

Jim Thompson from London, England

PIECE DE RESISTANCE

Show full of energy, a vocal treat, magical songs and thrilling dance routines. Go and go again.

Rob edwards from Telford shrops

FABULOUS

Saw moulon rouge today omg what a fab show great songs breathtaking sets and costumes highly recomended

Maria from Northamptonshire

WOULD GIVE IT 10 STARS IF I COULD!

Absolutely fantastic, what a show. Everything about it was perfect, from the music, singing, dancing and the amazing energy of the cast. If you haven’t been to see it yet, GO!

Rae from Canterbury

INCREDIBLE....SIMPLY INCREDIBLE

Wow, wow, wow! With Moulin Rouge being one of my all time favourite musical films i was a little apprehensive about seeing the theatre version and whether it could live up to my expectations! All i can say is this show exceeded every single expectation i had and beyond! Right from the opening number, to the closing the cast had you captivated with the incredible music; acting; dancing and hilarious characters. Full of high energy throughout the whole show, i honestly couldn't stop smiling. I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in the making of this show, from the amazing moving set, to the cleverly written script; brilliant composed music, and everything else in between! I will be highly recommending this show and i will certainly be back again very soon!

Jayne from Bristol

FANTASTIC

Loved the film and was not disappointed by the musical. High energy, fantastic voices and loved the new songs. Brilliant nights entertainment. Best musical I've seen in a long time. I don't normally write reviews but felt I had to. FANTASTIC

Helen gray from London, England

MOULIN ROUGE

Fab U Los Absolutely Brilliant I will be back to see it again.

Dixie from London, England

DEFINITELY WORTH IT !

Watched Moulin Rouge on Thursday night. Walked in to the stalls area near the stage, I was amazed with the stage, the set, the way they had changed the theatre to transport you to the Moulin Rouge club in Paris. From the opening I was absolutely captivated, there was hit after hit, the energy the voices and performances, I cannot fault. I highly recommend this show it’s 100% worth the money.

Alexandra from High Wycombe

I LOVED IT

The singing was wonderful and the sets were amazing. The show was incredibly fun and entertaining

Richard A from London, England

QUITE THE SPECTACLE

Incredible sets and costumes. Great performances by a large cast. Good fun but turned into a jukebox of song after song after song after song. I think about 75. Way too many (most get about 15 seconds). Inevitably an Adele song turned up about 64 songs in. I cannot forgive the dropping of One Day I'll Fly Away, a cornerstone of the film....why??? Cannot think of an explanation, the song fit the storyline perfectly.

Alex from London, England

SPECTACULAR SPECTACULAR (APART FROM LEAD)

It was a visual feast and clever spin on music choice to keep the show relevant. The cast were incredible, all aside from Christian (I’m sorry so say) his voice was just too weak and nasal for the part and I found him unconvincing as a bohemian being led by his heart. Satine was incredible, as were all the chorus and all the other leading actors. It was just a real shame that Christian was miscast in this way.

Gina Ann from London, England

SOMETHING WAS LACKING

Fantastic dancing, set, costume, lighting. Something was majorly lacking. That was energy and chemistry with the main leads it really made my partner feel like they didn't love each other at all. I know it's hard with covid measures and perhaps rehearsals have been disrupted so can be hard to get that connection back but two lovers didn't compliment their voices even though they are fantastic singers. Male lead would be good in Les miserable.

Brett Hanson from London, England

IT SHOULD BE BETTER!

Loved the music, loved the choreography and the whole amazing spectacle. I just couldn’t warm to the leads! Satine had an awesome voice and she looked great but, she wasn’t sexy enough. Cristian was simply miscast. When you have the whole musical theatre world to choose from, why would you pick someone who couldn’t sing it? He was also totally insignificant. I’m sure he is a great actor and has a bright future but, this part shouldn’t have been given to him. Such a shame. Overall I loved the show although if I hadn’t seen the film I’m not sure I’d know what the story is about! All a bit disjointed. Definitely one I’ll go and see again in the future when they have a different lead pair.

Danny woods from London, England

WOULD HAVE BEEN 5 STARS BUT

This show is actually incredible. Honestly one of the best shows I’ve ever seen I absolutely loved it. However one things is just not right. The two main leads just aren’t right. Christian is an incredible singer but he isn’t right for the role. Satine, again is incredible but I didn’t get any chemistry from them at all. I kind of jars when you’re watching it. Overall incredible but something didn’t click.

Angela from London, England

GREAT SHOW - SOME MINOR NIGGLES

I thought the show was great. The set was amazing, well above expectations. The songs, though different to the movie, were good. The cast did a great job. My only minor niggles were that on occasion the singing seemed out of tune. My partner didn’t notice so maybe I’m being super picky. The plot had some changes from the film, fair enough it is a theatre performance so some bits need to be adjusted to suit, but some changes made the story less likeable in my opinion. Finally the ending. Cristian seemed positively glad that Satine died. Presume this is because production staff didn’t want to end the show on a low note? A shame though.

Kathy park from London, England

MOULIN ROUGE EXTRAVAGANZA

High energy show from the get go. Dancing and costumes amazing. Enjoyed the updated songs and the tango number was brilliant. The only down side was the casting of a one dimensional Satine who had no presence

from London, England

AMAZING DESIGN...AMAZING ENSEMBLE...AMAZING CHOREOGRAPHY.

I have been waiting for this show to come to the stage since 2001, I thought the ensemble numbers were electric, the design and visual aspects are extremely impressive. I really enjoyed the show, however it hasn't left me feeling the same way as other West End Shows. I fully expected to be bawling by the end of the show given the storyline, however, something was missing. Unfortunately (honestly), I think the reason for this was my inability to connect to the character of Christian - I felt awful for thinking this at the time and thought maybe he was having an off day (not really acceptable given the price of the tickets) but have since read many reviews of audience members giving the same opinion. It is a shame that he really does seem miscast in this role - in comparison with other leads and an electric ensemble, he lacked the necessary vocal power and audibly struggled to reach the notes in many of the songs. I would like to see the show again, but will wait until there is a cast change.

Ian Strutton from London, England

MOULIN ROUGE

Excellent singing and dancing from all. Really enjoyed it. Well worth a visit

Elizabeth Smoth from London, England

HIGH ENERGY BUT …

Don’t bother if a real fan of the film . Yes dancing fabulous but it became a parody with the amount of new songs they tried to squeeze in . Ending so disappointing.

Dan london from London, England

MOULIN ROUGE

I wanted to love this so much as waited so long for it. Production , ensemble and setting was amazing was so let down by 3 main leads. This show will hey praised for its hype but it’s a shame when the supporting cast and ensemble show up the leads. I’m over critical but when a cast outperforms the main characters, something is wrong. Seen this when producers book reality stars to fill seats but now it’s not and boy it failed. I may be only person that thinks this but that’s my opinions

Sue from London, England

MOULIN ROUGE

Was overwhelmed with excitement waiting for this show, and being a die hard fan of the film I left feeling very deflated. The set the music and most of the cast were amazing but then let down by the lead roles, I couldn’t connect or feel any emotion from them. I’ve been to watch lots of shows and back again , sadly not this one.

Kirsty Thorne from London, England

WAS EXPECTING MORE...

Set was great, costumes were fabulous, dancers were pretty spectacular. Sadly both leading roles were lacking - Liisi LaFontaine was OK, but certainly no Satine. Jamie Bogyo was totally out of his depth and utterly unbelievable as Christian and there was no chemistry between the two characters at all. Jason Pennycooke on the other hand was fantastic - beautiful singing and utterly believable. The star of the show to be sure. Clive Carter and Simon Bailey also did a fabulous job - both doing their characters justice. Some of the plot changes just did not work for me - the ending in particular was just silly, i have no idea what the thinking was on this. Would I recommend? Not sure I would.

Andy Love from London, England

AMAZING STAGING... JUZT WANTED TO CONNECT TO LEADS!

Staging was amazing from the ore show beat to get your heart stirring, Eiffel tower inspirational to elephant apartment sumptious. The whole theatre was a visual feast. I just desperately wanted to connect to Satine and Christian... And didnt! Felt it didnt connect on emotional level. Still a great afternoon out of freedom and beauty and truth... Just short on love.

from London, England

HOPED FOR MORE - STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE

I was so excited to see this show, as a huge fan. Getting it looked AMAZING. The leads shouldn't have been leads- there was no chemistry, and it felt like really odd casting. The chorus were fab though! However I couldn’t get over how they tried to cram so many songs into one number, trying to pull on what Elephant Love Medley did, but failing miserably. If a couple of songs were taken out of each number it could have been clever. But it left people laughing and booing the baddie, feeling like a panto. It’s fine, it looks visually amazing. But in NO WAY worth the hype or the price of tickets.

Mark from Birmingham, England

THE LEADS DISAPPOINT IN AN OTHERWISE SPECTACULAR SHOW,

Incredible Design! However where the movie really succeeds this West End production of this show unfortunately disappoints. The casting of Lisa Lafontaine in the leading role of Satine and Jamie Bogyo in the leading role of Christian is a terrible missed opportunity. Lisa Lafontaine can sing but she has zero charisma in this role and she fails to sparkle amongst the many jewels of the outstanding supporting cast. Drama school graduate Jamie Bogyo is just totally out of his depth within this strong ensemble and his actor's singing voice lacks the power of a West End musical leading man. There is no chemistry between these two leads and the love story just falls flat. I also really did not care for casting of Simon Bailey as The Duke. Not all is lost as Clive Carter is just perfect as club impresario Harold Zidler and Jason Pennycooke is excellent as Toulouse-Lautrec. Cast What's New Pussycat? leads Bronte Barbe as Santine, Dominic Anderson as Christian and Tom Francis as The Duke.

Dora Pumfrey from London, England

DISAPPOINTING LEADS

Great production ,dancing,sets,costumes etc but badly let down by totally unbelieveable Christian and Satine: nil chemistry between them.Harold Ziegler and Toulouse Lautrec were fabulous though.What a shame !

Demi from London, England

ENSEMBLE CAST OUTSHINE LEADS

If you are a fan of the film go into the performance with an open mind as they have changed a lot of the main songs and thrown in tons of newer pop songs / remixes to appeal to the audience (sadly they didn’t appeal to me as I wanted to hear the original songs brought to life in all of their glory on the stage and was disappointed to find this is not the case). I hate to say it but I felt both of the lead performers for Satine and Christian were lacking something and both actors have quite unique sounding voices (not what I was expecting them to sound like). There was one ensemble performer in particular I thought would have made a brilliant Satine (Zoe Birkett I believe) she was mesmerising to watch and had a fabulous voice! In addition they have changed the sequence of the show and the ending is rather abrupt / doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in comparison to the movie, it felt quite rushed and haphazard. Overall though the ensemble performances were energetic and enjoyable!

Julie K from Birmingham, England

DEFLATED

Great stage scenery and supporting cast but absolutely no chemistry between the 2 main characters and missed 1 or 2 key sonjuliegs I felt. Shame as I was so looking forward to seeing my favourite musical on stage but apart from the spectacular scenery, costumes and dancing (the best bit was the Argentine tango scene) I didn't feel any love and was disappointed with the ending

Anna from London, England

DISAPPOINTING

There was no chemistry between Satine and Christian at all. Both of them were good but not excellent, like I would expect leading actors to be. I love musicals and have seen all big shows on West End (and some on Broadway) but this one was definitely least enjoyable. Forgettable...

Natasha from London, England

RECAST THE LEADS QUICK!

Much like many of the reviews before. Sadly the leads really let this production down (we also saw the alternate Satine). Please stop Zoe Birkett from joining in the Can Can! To see a kick barely over 90 (which you can see is a huge effort) on stage as a performer is mortifying. The saving grace to the show not being a huge disappointment was tango Roxanne, however I wish this had been sung by Santiago. New leads, more can can (by those who can), and some minor changes to the flow of the storyline and this would be a stellar show.

DG from London, England

FABULOUS APART FROM THE MALE LEAD.

Fabulous sets, Fabulous dancing but sadly we couldn't connect with the male lead (sorry male lead but this role isn't for you!)

from London, England

THE SCENERY DOES A LOT OF OVERCOMPENSATING…

Had been really looking forward to this and when arriving at the Theatre the outside had a real wow factor - and then you see the auditorium and it’s just… Stunning! The half hour or so before the official start was strangely entertaining with the hypnotic soundtrack and the ensemble cast sleeking around the stage. We joked that we could just watch two hours of that but unfortunately that turned out to not be a joke. From there it descends almost into Panto with a medley of modern pop hits bought on by a tenuous link to the dialogue (Homes under the Hammer anyone?!) That kept the Hen night crowed screeching but as an expensive West End extravaganza, just felt cheap and totally disconnected from the setting and era. The male lead couldn’t hold a lot of the notes and there was 0 chemistry between the leads, again so much like a local panto. Hoped for so much from this show but would have happily left at the interval if this hadn’t been a present for someone (who actually, it turns out, also agreed). Gutted.

Jane Crompton from South Norwood

FAB SET, FAB ENSEMBLE, CONFUSING PLOT, POOR LEAD ACTOR

Walking into the theatre was so exciting, the set is astonishing, the curtain goes up the dancing starts, fantastic. Then introduced to a rather uncharismatic actor playing Christian (played by Ewan McGregor in the film). there were loads of songs glued together, and too much going during the solos. This meant half the script was missed and by the end when Satine dies there were no tears in the audience. The finale was good

Emma from Kent England

SO DEFLATED

Such a shame that this production removed key songs from the film and replaced them with a musical score more suited to cabaret or karaoke in a local pub. Gaga, Katie Perry, Brittany, Beyoncé etc. I have been to many musicals after seeing the film versions and never felt as let down that the changes introduced didn't enhance the show. Changing the songs in the Elephant Medley was just unnecessary with questionable replacements. The staging, costumes and choreography were excellent and the cast enthusiastically did their stuff. But if you are a big fan of the film I would not recommend and I hate to say that....why change such a winning formula on the pretence of updating the score for a modern audience? A cheesy show, suited for hen parties and anyone who is not a fan or watched the film.

K from London, England

GAUDY BRASH DATED

Direction appalling - choreography seaside special circa 1972 - come on - we’ve moved on - leads weak - and absolutely no charm or sexual chemistry … design is actually very unimaginative - and cut outs near the stage for the most expensive seats, leaves the rest of the house watch the backs of punters heads. This is in-yer-face theatre for a crowd who just want pop songs and crotch shots - please don’t waste you’re money - when you’ve got the promise of Frecknell’s Cabaret down the road . It’s a no brainer

Michael D from London, England

IS THIS THE BEST LONDON CAN DO?

Hadn't been to the theatre in over two years, and was really looking forward to it. The opening number was promising, and then......yikes. Zidler was great, but the rest of the leads? The voices were mediocre at best, and I am being kind. The actors are void of personality or "it" factor. My daughter's school productions literally blow this out of the water. We left at intermission. If London theatre wants to recover, it's going to have to do way better than this. Very disappointing.

Zara from London, England

AN INSULT TO THE MOVIE

Amazing set and I believe would have been more enjoyable if you went in with the expectation that it isn't going to be like the film, many of the favorite songs from the film are cut out and replaced with songs that have lyrics that completely contradict the time the show was set. A high price tag for something that ultimately felt like pantomime.

from London, England

FANTASTIC SET AND ENSEMBLE LET DOWN BY LEAD ACTORS AND LACK OF AUTHENTICITY

Walking into the theatre was an absolute wow moment, the set was absolutely spectacular and filled us with so much excitement for what was to come, the music and scene setting before the show started was also brilliant and a fantastic detail. Unfortunately that was the best part of the entire show. I must say that the ensemble were brilliant, with the group numbers being the showstoppers. Harold Zidler was also brilliantly cast and carried much of the show. The show was massively let down by the bizarre and unnecessary changes to the story and the huge lack of chemistry between the leads. The comedy factor was hyped up but in the wrong places and caused awkward moments such as the audience continuing to laugh during Santiago’s solo. Satine had a brilliant voice but the changes to the story made her unlikeable and ultimately ended in less empathy at the end. Changes and some of the song additions didn’t make any sense at all and created a lack of authenticity. ‘Single Ladies’ probably being the strangest choice. The story is based on the very sad fact that Satine has to make personal sacrifices to survive in a world of men, she is certainly not a single lady laying down any rules. Perhaps an attempt at aligning the show with current issues and making it more relatable, even though it is supposed to be set in 1900 Paris. Sadly, the biggest let down was Christian who was far too happy go lucky to be telling this story. It seemed that his lovable nerdy British charm was kept but because his character was changed to American it just didn’t work. Although he had a lovely singing voice, his solo performances were really wanting and fell very flat. The only time he seemed to capture any passion and really go for it was during ‘Chandelier’ which was a great performance but why was singing about Absinthe his most passionate moment? Some of the added songs were great but there were just far too many crammed in, most of which were current pop hits rather than love song classics - which are what make the love story so believable in the film. The show really lost the bohemian, raw and realistic feel of Victorian Paris that is so brilliant in the film. The fact that Mimi is kind to Satine proves again that changes have been made to make the show more current and with the times but sadly this just creates a lack of believability and empathy for the main characters in the end. A very sad review to write after such high hopes. If you want to enjoy this show, forget about the film!

Lucy from London, England

I WISH I COULD GIVE MORE STARS BUT I CAN’T!

An amazing ensemble, and an incredible set, However overall disappointed as nothing like the film! If you are a huge fan of the film, prepare yourself for completely odd pop songs that did not fit the musical. Plus all the best songs from the movie were not even in it! In addition, the lead who plays Christian was not fit for the part at all and was unable to keep up so unfortunately brought down the standard of the whole show! I cannot fault the amazing ensemble and set though, was just expecting a whole lot more!

BK from London, England

KARAOKE MOULIN ROUGE

Moulin Rouge is my favourite film so perhaps my standards were set too high. This show made a mockery of the film! The addition of so many jukebox hits when the soundtrack was already fabulous was not needed. It made serious emotional moments into jokes. The actor who played Christian tried to make him funny. He isn't supposed to be a funny character, he is a lost artist in love. Satine was better but unfortunately there was no connection between the two which made their love unbelievable. The story line changes felt lazy and rushed. I gave 2 stars instead of 1 as costume and set were fantastic!

Ryan P from London, England

HUGELY DISAPPOINTING.

The set and theatre are designed beautifully and the first 5 minutes of the show were exciting and uplifting. Then it's all downhill from there. There is no WOW factor in any of the leading performers - the actor playing Christian in particular really falls flat and is not leading role material. Too many songs were crammed in with no meaning - the audience were laughing (when I don't think they should have been). The arrangements were weird and jarring on the ear at times with awful harmonies (come what may - ruined). I left thinking the whole thing was complete panto and bonkers.

Jodie from London, England

SO FRUSTRATINGLY DISAPPOINTING!

I was SO excited to see this show, and I expected an absolute extravaganza of the senses, it's the Moulin Rouge after all! A place of exotica, erotica and love. The set I have to say was amazing, and the dancers did a great job, but they needed more to fill the stage, and more pacey enthralling choreography that the Moulin Rouge promises. This was supposed to be a beautiful tender love story in a world of extraordinary, and sadly it was not... By a mile! I desperately wanted more, and desperately wanted a beautiful and clever story. Even the costumes looked like they were off the rack, where was the exaggerated Parisian bohemia?! It was so badly staged, badly directed, badly written, and a very mediocre cast with no chemistry at all. However, Harold Zidler, Toulouse Lautrec and Antonio were fantastic, and really hit the character. I was left so frustrated! It should have been amazing but sadly felt it was a cheesy graduate production. So sorry but I wouldn't recommend :(

Ian from Norwich, England

OKAY BUT LACKING

Lots of money to watch the understudy. Plenty of energy but sadly lacking in passion between the key characters. The words were sung efficiently but without soul. want to watch how it should be done then watch the film

Sophie from London, England

IF YOU LOVE THE FILM DONT GO AND SEE IT

As a super fan of the film, i have waited my whole life to see this in the theatre. I was so disappointed. Id like to express if i didnt know the film then it might be a 3.5/5 but for me there were too many differences. For example most of the songs were changed to more modern day pop, there were too many 'mash ups' which detracted from the elephant love medley and christian being a composer from ohio took the biscuit. The ending felt rushed and over all felt like a very up market pantomime. I gave it 2 stars as the singing was very good and the theatre looked spectacular.

Tanya Peyton from Northern Ireland

LACK OF CHEMISTRY

My daughter and I are huge fans of the film and were so looking forward to loving this show. Even during it we were willing it to get better. The lead playing Christian just didn't work, he had no charisma and no chemistry with Satine. The lady playing Satine has a lovely voice but wasn't able to pull of being Satine. There were also too many changes to the story line. So disappointing

from London, England

THE MAIL SINGERS ARE GREAT

But the music is a woeful . The attempt to update the music create pathetic try to win a crowed and it losses any credibility

JW from London, England

LIKE A PANTO

Really disappointed with the music in this show! The pop music really took away the storyline and made it feel more panto/karaoke.

Christine from Essex, England

DISAPPOINTED

I love the film so my expectations might have been a bit high but having said that the casting of the characters was not great. I just couldn’t get believe in them. The songs had been updated to more recent songs and for me it would have been better to leave them original to the film. Waited a long time to see this due to COVID so can’t help feeling disappointed

Lauren from London, England

WOULDN'T GO AGAIN...

So I'm a huge fan of musicals, I see most shows in London and I admit I expected a lot when you hear about the budget and obvious reference to the original movie. But honestly, it felt pretty lacking in everything. The ensemble are stunning, and the man in the can-can seats was very much enjoying his view of a woman's crotch but it just all felt a bit cheap. The lead roles were hugely lacking in charisma, they had no chemistry with each other and Christian looks mildly uninterested by the death of his lover. It was a very odd ending, the ending is sad and everyone goes to show knowing this, but it felt very over the top and false, I don't think a single tear in the audience was shed at the ending at all. Stunning costumes, amazing sets, music was bizarre and karaoke-esque. It's not one I would pay the £100 a ticket to see again, put it that way...

Julie from London, England

TOO MODERN FOR ITS SUBJECT MATTER

Really found this hard to watch, nonsense songs like Toxic by Britney Spears mashed up with Adele, Beyoncé, Elton and the Sound of Music, then a blast of diamonds are forever, Shirley Bassey and chandelier by.Sia. Odd mash up of songs just to fill time, nothing Parisian or of it’s time included in the production. Was laughter at the bizarre quality by the end. No can-can bar all of 30 seconds at the end. Truly disappointed. Unless you enjoy all song, no story, don’t bother going. Totally forgettable other than the women sticking their bottoms in the air.

S Baines from London, England

MODERN VAUDEVILLE BUT WITH A SPECTACULAR SET

It's a strange thing sitting in an auditorium full of people who are clearly having a ball, and wondering if they're watching a completely different show to you. There's clearly potential here, but any nuance or care for story and characters has been ditched in favour of what is essentially an extended pop video - there's a scene in act two where the Moulin Rouge benefactor imposes more shiny, happy dancing in rehearsals in place of characterisation and feeling, and I couldn't help wondering if this was the writers inner voice trying to escape... Anyway, the set is sensational, the supporting cast work their behinds off in the company numbers and the dancing is astonishingly slick, but there's zero chemistry between the leads, odd direction choices throughout, and I honestly couldn't have cared less if every character had died by the end (with the exception of Tolouse). It's difficult not to mention the audiences too - I was left feeling that this show is the modern equivalent of vaudeville, drinking in the stalls, verbal altercations breaking out over phone usage, half the audience singing along. If that's what you love do go, if you loved Cabaret avoid this like the plague!!

from London, England

NOT A PATCH ON THE FILM

Pantomime at the very best. No songs from the original film and the bad romance part? Awful scene more like! Terrible singing and made no sense. The story wasn’t followed, acting was amateur at best. Extremely disappointing.

from London, England

VERY DISAPPOINTED

I've waited years for this to finally appear as a stage musical, but was very underwhelmed. The visuals and costumes are terrific, but that's where the quality ends... like most West End musicals now, it's all about visual spectacle with nothing else paid attention to. The leads had no chemistry at all, the lead guy's voice wasn't up to par with the songs he was expected to sing, and the love story part is enormously underdeveloped so that by the end, I just didn't care - the death scene is shoehorned onto the end and performed like a Carry On scene pratfall, no emotion at all. The music is like an insane parody, some of the best from the movie taken out, and replaced with dozens of new songs from the last few years - a line from one here, followed by two lines from another, another line from another - to the point where your brain is fried. It's like & Juliet on steroids - but at least in that show the songs serve the storyline. There's also the expected social justice virtue signalling which is all over theatre now - Harold Zidler is now gay and has a male lover, and one of the 4 Lady Marmalade performers is now male also - and I roll my eyes at this as a gay man! Why was effort made to this, but none to the actual story and character development? By the end I was laughing and not for the right reasons - this show is like a massively overpriced panto, don't waste your money and watch the movie instead!

Becky from London, England

NOTHING LIKE THE FILM

So disappointed. It would have been so easy to recreate the film on stage, it was crying out for it. The show loosely followed the story but had loads of modern pop songs thrown it. Ruined and so unnecessary. Such a shame and a wasted opportunity. 2 starts because the set was amazing.

Dee from London, England

STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE

I had really been looking forward to seeing this show. It had a strong start with great scenery, costumes, and dancing. In the end, however, I'm glad I got the cheapest ticket possible. Perhaps if I'd listened to the new soundtrack ahead of time, I wouldn't have gone to the show in the first place. The story and music changes from the film version were disappointing. The new pop song arrangements weren't as clever, and the scoring for a small band lacks the lushness of the original film soundtrack. Why not score it for a full pit orchestra? "Roxanne," without the Argentinian singing, had no passion - a common thread throughout the show. Although "Christian" has a lovely voice, he and Satine had no chemistry. The over-the-top antics, larger-than-life characters, and manic energy (the fun!) from the film were mostly absent in this production. The supporting cast were the diamonds of this show, but they weren't able to make up for everything else.

Hils from London, England

DON'T GO IF YOU LOVE THE FILM

Firstly, the good: The sets are a visual feast, dancing & costumes excellent & the cast enthusiastic. Now for the bad (spoilers)… The leads had no chemistry whatsoever not helped by the ridiculous changes to the plot. Satine & the Count sleep together from the off, leaving no room for escalation in Christian’s despair. The Argentinian doesn’t sing Roxanne, instead this is given to insipid Christian. Satine is not betrayed by Nini, but rather they declare how much they like each other (girl power!?), then Satine tells the Count that she’s her own woman (girl power again… who cares that it ruins the plot & removes any tension in the finale). And, worst of all, for anyone who has loved the film, they remove “Come What May” from Christian and Satine’s finale (well, it’s not really needed now they trashed the plot so much), making the song’s earlier inclusion meaningless. So, in conclusion, if you have any sense of feeling for the film, avoid like the plague.

Martha from London, England

YOU CAN’T, CAN’T, CANT!

After waiting two years ( thanks covid!) to have a theatre trip , my daughters and I were so excited for this musical. We loved the film, so couldn’t wait to see this on the stage. Now we aren’t silly enough to think there wouldn’t be any changes etc etc, but we left thinking “what the actual f………” Walking into the theatre was breathtaking. The set is amazing. The cast/company are great. The dancing/costumes are brilliant. And that’s where the good points end. The 3 main parts were disappointing. No chemistry at all between Christian and Satine, their voices didn’t blend well together , and often both were out of tune. Christian on his own lacked passion. The duke ……. just a let down. The plot……… totally changed . Come what may …… absolutely ruined with bad harmonies , Roxanne …… not sung by the Argentinian but a feeble version attempted by Christian. An awful Adele mash up which is where for me it really Rolled in the Deep and didn’t recover. I love the theatre and I love the passion and hard work that artists put into bringing a story to life…….. but this, this was such a let down. If you love the film stay away, if you haven’t seen the film I suggest you do , it would be a better way of spending your time and saving your money .

Lauren from London, England

LEFT AT INTERVAL-

We loved the opening five minutes but then after that it just went downhill quick. None of the music was original and storyline wasn’t good. Felt like we were in like a tribute show if that makes sense, they jumped from like Katy Perry firework song to like a queen song then to a Chic song etc and so on which is fine but it just didn’t flow well at all. Nothing like movie, nothing like the actual moulin rouge, just didn’t enjoy it. Such a shame. All the reviews are amazing for it and the crowd were going wild but for me and my auntie we just were so upset; didn’t feel like storyline or musically it was ready to be at the west end.

Claire from London, England

VERY DISAPPOINTED - DON’T GO IF YOU ARE A HUGE FAN OF THE MOVIE

Yes, great costumes, orchestra, props but total lack of chemistry between the leads, weak voices both of them. As a huge fan of the movie, I was really looking forward for the show. Instead, the major plot changes, Roxanne (why, why, not letting the Argentinian sing? He has such a good voice!), like a virgin and other of the best songs were missing (to be replaced by..single ladies and an overdose of Adele and sia). Well, this should have been definitely thought better not to completely disappoint a huge movie fan. All considered, the tickets were too pricey for the quality the director delivered.

Debbie MCLINN from London, England

YOU’RE REALLY CRAP CRAP CRAP

Ok if you loved the film don’t waste your money I. All style no substance utter rubbish, total karaoke 🎤 too many mashed up mixed numbers probably some music producer’s thinking there better than the original it isn’t it’s utter rubbish, look if ya gunna do Moulin get at least ONE a lister in to headline stages setting ok very red that’s about it don’t waste yr money.

Annie from London, England

AWFUL STORY

The cast were amazing and performed out of this world with the script they were given. But for a fan of the movie I wasn’t prepared or aware that they’ve updated the music to frame the story in current pop music (including Britney Spears Toxic). If they had performed all the usual songs and added extras I could have dealt with it but they’ve changed some of the classics and left some out altogether. Roxanne and Come What May were moving and I can just imagine how amazing this would be if they had replicated the film. What’s interesting is that people who hadn’t seen the film or had watched it once absolutely loved this production. I hope they revert to the original but until then it was an overall disappointment. Which is a shame because the cast and the set were phenomenal.

Susie H from London, England

OH DEAR

What a shame…this amazing cast was let down by the lead male Jamie Bogyo…. No chemistry between him and Satine….he was awkward to watch and lacked the superstar quality needed for this role…. It was also reminiscent of Christmas pantomime at many points. Liisi, Clive, Jason performances were impeccable…as were all members of the cast apart from Bogyo… Such a shame

Bobby G from London, England

JUST DREADFUL

Don’t waste your money…read reviews that are 1/2 star…they are accurate

Page:12345678910111213141516All